RESUMO
This study included 35 asthmatic children and 10 controls. Ages of patients and controls ranged from 4-8 years. They were recruited from the out-patients clinic of the pediatric Departement, Assiut University Hospital. The following investigations were done for both patients and controls: Plasma IgE level, plasma histamine level, total and differential white blood cell count, urine and stool examination. Plasma histamine level was significantly elevated in asthmatic than in control children. At the same time plasma histamine level was significantly elevated in asthmatic children with normal plasma IgE than in asthmatics with raised plasma IgE. Absolute blood esinophil count was significantly elevated in asthmatic children with elevated plasma IgE than both controls and asthmatics with normal plasma IgE. No significant difference could be found in the absolute blood basophil count could be found between asthmatics children and controls. It appears from this study that histamine may be an important mediator of bronchial asthma in children irrespective of the plasma IgE level